Grants available to help veteran-led sponsor groups meet the minimum fundraising requirements to submit a Welcome Corps application
Washington, D.C.—Welcome.US, a national initiative that works to empower American communities to welcome people seeking refuge, will recruit and mobilize veterans to sponsor Afghan refugees through the Welcome Corps program. The State Department launched the Welcome Corps in January 2023 as a private sponsorship program that creates opportunities for Americans to directly sponsor refugees from around the world through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).
The Welcome Corps provides a pathway to permanent legal status for eligible Afghans who served with American soldiers, aid workers, and diplomats for more than two decades. Members of the military community were among the first to welcome Afghan allies to the United States in August 2021 following the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan, yet nearly three years later, there is still a critical need to provide safety to Afghans living abroad who worked alongside American service members for two decades.
“Veterans have played a pivotal role in supporting Afghan allies as they rebuild their lives across communities nationwide. We are thrilled to announce a new round of funding for the welcome.US Veteran Sponsor Fund, designed to support those who are sponsoring Afghan families and helping them establish a new beginning in the U.S. in the coming months,” said Kari McDonough, Vice President and Welcome Fund Senior Advisor.
The Welcome Corps requires sponsor groups to raise $2,425 per refugee by the time they arrive in the United States to ensure basic financial support during their initial months of resettlement. To submit a Welcome Corps application, sponsors must demonstrate they have already raised 60 percent of this amount, or $1,455 per refugee. U.S. veterans and active military members who are applying to sponsor an Afghan they know through the Welcome Corps can apply for the Welcome.US Veteran Sponsor Fund. The fund is designed to help veteran-led sponsor groups meet the 60 percent requirement and provides veterans up to $5,820 in funding, or $1,455 per refugee for up to four refugees. As much as $150,000 is available in this funding round.
In partnership with Welcome.US, No One Left Behind is launching a pilot program to recruit veterans as sponsors of Afghan refugees through the Welcome Corps and help them integrate into American society. A key part of sponsorship is covering basic expenses for the newly arrived refugees during their initial months in the United States, securing housing and basic necessities like furniture, household goods, groceries, and clothing. The Welcome.US Veteran Sponsor Fund lowers financial barriers to engaging in sponsorship, making it easier for more people to get involved.
No One Left Behind selected Seattle to pilot this effort, with plans to expand this work to additional American cities in the future. No One Left Behind received funding to support this work in early 2024 and expects to support the recruitment of as many as 15 sponsor groups, which will benefit more than 75 Afghan newcomers.
“Our partnership with Welcome.US is a reflection of our shared commitment to reducing barriers to participation in refugee sponsorship programs,” said Mike Mitchell, No One Left Behind Executive Director. “The Welcome.US Veteran Sponsor Fund is an incredible resource that will aid more of our Afghan allies and help ensure that they have the initial resettlement assistance they need.”
The awarded grants will be securely distributed to sponsors through GoFundMe.org. The funding for this program is made possible through sponsor support funds from Welcome.US CEO Council member Google and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis through September 30, 2024. The application platform is constructed and hosted by ServiceNow, another Welcome.US CEO Council member. The Welcome.US CEO Council is a cornerstone of Welcome.US’ private sector engagement, and represents the leadership that is transforming resettlement efforts in the U.S. through more than $500 million in in-kind and financial support to help build the infrastructure to enable a culture of welcome.
About Welcome.US
At Welcome.US, our mission is to unleash the desire and capacity of Americans to welcome newcomers and help them thrive. We operate on the evidence that direct participation with newcomers transforms both the welcomer and those being welcomed. We are not an advocacy organization or an operational agency providing direct services to newcomers. By making it easier for Americans from all walks of life to participate in the work of welcoming—and telling their stories—we are building a movement that celebrates America’s welcoming spirit by providing an opportunity to serve for all who seek to welcome. Our diverse community of Welcomers reaches across real and perceived divides to meet the needs of newcomers more effectively.
In partnership with local and national resettlement agencies, diaspora organizations and leaders, refugees, community sponsorship groups, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based institutions, veterans, universities, four former Presidents and four former First Ladies, Welcome.US is the single point of entry for Americans who want to get involved and support those who are starting new lives in the United States.
To learn more about Welcome.US, please visit Welcome.US.
About No One Left Behind
No One Left Behind (NOLB) is the oldest charitable organization focused specifically on supporting former interpreters and U.S. government employees eligible for the Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) programs. The non-profit helps evacuate our wartime allies to safety, provides resettlement assistance to help them start new lives in the United States and advocates for legislative change to keep America’s promise. To learn more, become involved or donate, visit nooneleft.org.
